Taliban press on, capture another city

Sar-e Pul official says the city has been under siege for weeks with no reinforcements being sent

The Taliban on Monday took control of another provincial capital in Afghanistan, an official said. The city's fall was the latest in a weeks-long, relentless Taliban offensive as American and NATO forces finalise their pull-out from the war-torn country. The militants have ramped up their push across much of Afghanistan, turning their guns on provincial capitals after taking large swaths of land in the mostly rural countryside. At the same time, they have been waging an assassination campaign targeting senior government officials in the capital, Kabul. The sweep comes despite condemnations by the international community and warnings from the UN that a military victory and takeover by the Taliban would not be recognised. The Taliban have also not heeded appeals to return to the negotiating table and continue long-stalled peace talks with the Afghan government.